Cooperative slurry management for circular agriculture in northern Spain

This project in the Carranza Valley, Bizkaia, Basque Country, Spain, establishes a cooperative system for managing dairy slurry from 27 farmers, handling 65,000 tonnes annually. It enables efficient transport and application to arable land, reducing storage pressure from high rainfall and limited land. Slurry is collected on demand via scheduled routes, then processed through anaerobic digestion to produce biogas, biomethane, electricity, and two valuable by-products: composted digestate for cold beds and commercial organic fertiliser at cost. The initiative, operational since spring 2024, supports circular economy principles, enhances nutrient use efficiency, and reduces environmental impact. Funded under Horizon 2020 (grant N° 101000770), it improves economic resilience, environmental sustainability, and social acceptance.